1. Aristotle on three virtues Michael Lacewing enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk

2. Courage Courage is the virtue which is the mean regarding fear (and confidence) –This is not simply having the right ‘amount’ of fear –It is right to have some fears of things that harm us, e.g. we should fear disgrace –Some fears are irrelevant to courage, e.g. the lack of fearing the loss of money So courage also concerns the kinds of things that someone doesn’t fear –Esp. those things that are most fearful and harmful, including death

3. Courage The courageous person fears things we all struggle with, but faces them as one should –When one should, with the right motive –The point of being courageous is some good and worthwhile goal –With ‘pleasure’ – the action involve pain, but the end is pleasant

4. What courage is not Facing danger because one is required by law or the threat of punishment –Motive here is shame or fear Being calm in the face of danger because –one is very experienced and knowledgeable –one is strong and succeeded in the past –one is ignorant of the danger –In such cases, lack of courage may show when something unexpected happens – character is shown when action is needed spontaneously

5. What courage is not Being driven by passion to do dangerous things –Not fully aware of the dangers, and wrong motive

6. Self-indulgence Vice relating to pleasure – but which? Distinction between pleasures of the body and those of the mind –Self-indulgence relates to bodily pleasures –But not from seeing, hearing, smelling things, but just pleasure of taste and touch – eating, drinking, sex These activities are necessary and pleasurable –Self-indulgence relates to excess and desire for particular kinds of food, drink, sex

7. Self-indulgence Self-indulgent person is too pained at missing out pleasures of taste and touch –And values such pleasures too highly Self-indulgence isn’t simply weak will –The weak-willed person knows their desires and actions are wrong, and acts against their choice –The self-indulgent person no longer recognises what is wrong

8. Self-control Self-control (1): control in the face of temptation –This person still has bad desires for pleasure, but resists them Self-control (2): no temptation –Desires pleasure only as one should; such desires will be few and not too strong –This is the virtue of temperance

9. Justice Justice is the disposition to act justly and desire justice –Justice the virtue is defined in terms of just acts, unlike other virtues –Aristotle’s account of just acts is largely deontological Justice in the wide sense: what is legal (virtuous) Justice in the narrow sense: fairness

10. Justice as fairness The principle that each person receives their ‘due’. –Justice is concerned with goods, e.g. money, safety or suffering, in which we can obtain some advantage relative to other people. –To be unjust is to seek to gain more than one’s fair share of something good or avoid one’s fair share of something bad.

11. Justice as fairness Justice in distribution –Treat equals equally, i.e. reward by merit Justice in rectification –Correct injustice – the focus is not on (in)equality of individuals but unjust act committed –Aim: to remove the unjust ‘gain’ and compensate the victim

12. Development Unjust state of affairs –An unjust distribution that has not resulted from an unjust action, e.g. illness Unjust act –An act which results in injustice; if involuntary, it is merely unjust Acting unjustly –Voluntarily committing an unjust act; if not by choice, the person is not bad Choosing to act unjustly –Worst form of unjust act

13. Unjust treatment To be unjustly treated, the unjust action must be against your wishes –You cannot be treated unjustly voluntarily –You cannot treat yourself unjustly